Andhra begins probe into Sarmistha’s death

Sarmistha had died on March 23, 2007 at Hyderabad by falling from the fifth floor of an apartment at about 9.30 a.m. under mysterious circumstances. She was a senior professional in the Ablab, a software company.

Sarmistha was the daughter of a senior Indian Forest Service Officer. She had married to Arnab Ray, son of novelist Padmashree Prativa Ray.

Sarmistha died on the second day of Ray’s receiving the coveted Padamashree from the then President of India. Her husband Arnab was present during the “mysterious” fall of Sarmistha who was throughout a topper in her educational career.

Sarmistha’s uncle Dr. Arabinda Mohanty, a noted pediatrician, had alleged in the media and also before the State Mahila Commission that her death was not a “suicide” , but a ” cold blooded murder

He had alleged that there was pressure on Andhra police by Ray’s family who have got links at high places in the police and also in the administration to hush up the case.

State Mahila Commission Chairman Namita Panda had taken up the case seriously and had requested her Andhra Pradesh counterpart to suggest for C.B.I. probe into the incident as persons with higher links are involved in death of Sarmistha.

However after long seven moths of death of Sarmistha, the Crime Branch of Andhra Pradesh police have started investigating into the matter. S. Babu Rao a deputy superintendent of police Crime Branch from Hyderabad visited Bhubaneswar and Cuttack recently.

The police officials have taken the statements of Sarmistha’s parents, in laws and some relatives including her maternal uncle. Dr. Mohanty.

According to sources, during investigations by S. Babu Rao, Sarmistha’s family members have reportedly handed handed over a number of incriminating documents including letters e-mails etc. to establish that she was under physical and mental pressure by her husband and in-laws.

Talking to Odisha.in family sources said that there were enough of materials to establish that there were attempts to hush up the case at different levels.

For instance though Sarmistha was seven months pregnant when she died, and this was mentioned in the inquest report, there is no mention about the status of her uterus in the postmortem report.

Mysteriously in the meanwhile, the doctor who had given such report has died an unnatural death.

Despite demands by Sarmistha’s family members to seize the mobile of Sarmistha and get the voice-mail records, seizure of her personal computer and personal belonging immediately after her death, the investigating police have not done so, giving ample opportunity for manipulation.